


PH1MilWeek One-Shots

by macandcaseus



Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Crack, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mini fics, One-Shots, for PH1MilWeek on instagram!!, i want to expand most of these into longer pieces at some point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27565615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macandcaseus/pseuds/macandcaseus
Summary: For #ph1milweek on Instagram (11/8/2020-11/14/2020) I posted these!! My Instagram is @kierans.hyacinths_ if you want to see the cover art I designed for each of them (and my PH banner for day 6... it's a real eye-catcher). Summaries & relationships for each of these will be listed in the table of contents!
Relationships: Belladona Davenport/Lauren Sinclair, Kieran White/Zephyr, Kym Ladell/Lauren Sinclair, Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, Sophism & Ephemerys, William Hawkes & Kieran White
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Table of Contents

The Very True Tale Behind the Inspiration of Purple Hyacinth  
11/8: Day 1 - Creator Appreciation  
In which Sophism & Ephemerys find inspiration for Purple Hyacinth during a trip to the zoo. (Crack)

Orders Given  
11/9: Day 2 - Favorite Moment  
Kieran returns to his apartment after receiving his orders to attack the Tower, but he struggles figuring out how to break the news to Lauren. (Angst)

Boy's Night Out  
11/10: Day 3 - Modern AU  
Kieran and Will accidentally agree to a boy's night out together. Shenanigans ensue. (Fluff)

Golden  
11/11: Day 4 - Role Reversal  
Officer Belladonna Davenport confronts the infamous Golden Viper assassin, Lauren Sinclair. (Drama)

The Show Must Go On  
11/12: Day 5 - Theories  
Teenage Kieran White wants to find out just how the Circus Royal, of which he is a performer in, is connected to the Phantom Scythe. (Drama)

*Not in this collection*   
11/13: Day 6 - Your PH Banner  
Check out my Very Serious banner here!: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHic_llpI4E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Moonlight  
11/14: Day 7 - Pick Your Own (& Why You Came, Why You Stayed - see how I found PH and why I've stuck around in the caption for this post on my IG)  
Kym Ladell's been crushing on her best friend, Lauren Sinclair, for years, but tensions have been rising, especially since she's been tasked with finding Lune. (Angst)


	2. The Very True Tale Behind the Inspiration of Purple Hyacinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/8: Day 1 - Creator Appreciation  
> In which Sophism & Ephemerys find inspiration for Purple Hyacinth during a trip to the zoo. (Crack)

It was a beautiful day to visit the zoo, so of course, that’s exactly what best friends Sophism and Ephemerys planned on doing together for the afternoon. They had been working very hard to come up with a story idea for the Webtoon they wanted to create together, but no solid ideas had come to them yet, so they decided they needed a day of rest before getting back to it. 

After eating a very well-balanced breakfast of a single blueberry each, they arrived at the zoo, ready to visit all of the exotic animals from around the world. They took pictures of the regal-looking deer, the venomous golden viper snakes, and the lion that was said to have performed with a circus troupe before it came to the zoo. 

“What animals should we visit next?” Sophism asked as the two consulted the map. 

Ephemerys pointed. “Oh, how about the peacocks?” 

As they walked to the peacock exhibit, Ephemerys’s eyes wandered the crowds. Amidst the people, ravens hopped across the ground and perched on benches and tables, seeming to watch as the two friends walked past them. 

“That’s weird…” she said. 

“Hm?” Sophism asked. 

Ephemerys turned back to her. “Oh. Nothing. Look, there’s the peacock exhibit!” They reached the exhibit and peered inside, scouring the enclosure for the peacocks. Before one of them could say it, though, a child next to them asked, “Where are all the peacocks?” 

Sophism looked over to him, an angel-faced little boy wearing a brown newsboy hat with a patch on it. _Who tf is dressing their kids like this these days…_ she thought. He was standing next to his mother, but he looked up at Sophism, eyes wide and shining in the golden sunlight. 

“Where are they?” he asked, lip trembling. 

_Wait, why’s he talking to me–_ Not knowing what else to say, Sophism simply replied, “🙂” 

Stunned by the sheer multitudes of answers that smile could possibly hold, the child began to cry. His mother, instead of soothing her sobbing child, was only baffled at how it was possible for someone to say that out loud. As the child’s tears fell down his face, tears caused by her, something in Sophism warmed – she felt nourished as she never had before. _Hm. I can worry about that later._

“Soph, look!” 

Sophism turned to see Ephemerys pointing into the enclosure, where a zookeeper was leading a line of peacocks into the viewing area. The spectators clapped and cheered as the blue-and-green birds strutted around, pecking at the ground, minding their own business. The zookeeper seemed to be struggling to coax the final one out, and Ephemerys watched as he went back into the door they came out of. The next thing she saw was a peacock tossed out into the enclosure, a terrified expression on its face. 

“Oh my God,” Sophism said, seeing the same thing. “Is it crying now?” 

“I think so.” 

After watching the torment of this poor peacock, they continued to the gift shop. The sun was starting to set, and as much fun as the two had that day, they really needed to get back to coming up with ideas for the Webtoon they wanted to create together, but of course they needed souvenirs to remember the day they spent together by. The ravens, with their long, hooked beaks, kept watching them walk through the zoo. _This is fine,_ Ephemerys thought as they walked into the gift shop. _It’s not like they’re secretly part of some sort of evil criminal organization that’s watching our every move and planning to take down society as we know it._ She blinked. _Wait a minute …_

“Hey, Soph,” she said, turning to her friend. “Wait. What is that.” 

Sophism flipped the luxurious locks of a red wig over her shoulder. “It’s fashion, Eph. Look it up.” 

“It’s ten thousand dollars,” Eph said, pinching the price tag between her fingers. “Put it back before something happens to it.” 

Sophism pouted as she placed it back on its mannequin head, but as soon as she started to walk back to Ephemerys, she ran right into a chair that she definitely had not thought was there mere seconds ago, almost tripping over it. “F*CK this chair!” she shouted, kicking its stupid legs. “Anyway.” She finally made it back to Ephemerys. “What did you want?” 

“Oh. Yeah. I think I finally came up with a good idea for our Webtoon.” She repeated her idea about the ravens, watching Sophism’s face for any signs of approval. 

Sophism nodded slowly. “I like it, but I can’t draw animals, remember? They’re gonna have to be people.” She looked around the gift shop, eyes falling on a shirt with a roaring lion on it that said “UNLEASH THE MONSTER” around it. “Hang on …” she said, ideas falling into place in her mind. She turned to Ephemerys, all of her thoughts spilling out, and Ephemerys replied in kind, a deluge of ideas that would cause anyone who read their Webtoon to cry uncontrollably for the rest of their lives at both the beauty and sheer pain such a story would cause for readers. 

By the time they left the zoo, Sophism and Ephemerys had planned out the entirety of the most complex narrative that had ever and will ever be created by humankind. It had everything – moments that would rip hearts out of chests, art that would be so visually stunning people would have no choice but to worship it, music that would hit the souls of everyone who listens, and, of course, an overabundance of hot people. But more than that, it was a story so beautiful that it would pull over one million people into its cult—uh, world—and become a wonderful, significant part of so many lives across the globe. 

Not to mention being the thing that would finally give Sophism enough access to tears to keep her thriving for the next few millennia.


	3. Orders Given

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/9: Day 2 - Favorite Moment  
> Kieran returns to his apartment after receiving his orders to attack the Tower, but he struggles figuring out how to break the news to Lauren. (Angst)

_Take out all of Lune’s convicts. If anyone gets in your way … kill them, too._

Kieran’s orders swam through his mind, twisting his thoughts around and around until everything he tried to distract himself with eventually reminded him of what he was going to have to do later that night. 

_All of our work …_ He clenched his jaw as he arrived at his cave and went to grab Lauren’s bag. His hand wrapped around its strap, and he stopped. He thought of what her face would look like when he told her what his orders were – those golden eyes lit with fury’s fire, hands balled in fists, shoulders shaking. _I need to tell her,_ he thought, slinging the bag over his shoulder. _I can make sure she understands why I need to do this._

Back in the city, he managed to hail a cab. “How much is the fare to the 11th precinct’s APD office?” he asked when the cabbie stopped in front of his apartment. 

Once he paid the fare for both drives, and extra to make sure the cabbie would wait until Lauren finished getting ready, Kieran got out and walked up the steps to his door. _Maybe if I make some sort of joke, she’ll be more receptive to the news?_ he thought as he stood, frozen, outside the door. _Yeah. Yeah, that’ll work._

Taking a deep breath, Kieran unlocked his door, swinging it open and shouting into the apartment, “ _Honeyyyy! I’m hooome!_ ” 

“Good morning, _subordinate._ Where have you been?” 

Kieran froze. He had _not_ been expecting her to actually be up, and right in front of the door no less. And with her sleep-mussed hair, wearing his shirt, wrinkled by the night, the sleeves covering her hands, the hem riding up her thigh where she was leaning against the crutch— 

“Oh, there you are,” he said, measuring his breath. “I see that you’ve slept well.” 

She fixed her familiar, exasperated gaze on his face. “Obviously more than you did,” she replied. 

He blinked, staring back at her, his heartbeat rising. _Is she wondering where I went last night? Does she care?_ Before he could stop himself, his hand reached out, and he murmured, “Lauren … your face …” 

Her eyes went wide. “Huh, what—" Her hands flew up to her eyes, rubbing frantically. “ _Is there something on my face?_ ” 

_Pull yourself together, White._ Panic bolted through him, and he tossed her bag at her, thumping against her raised hands. She stumbled back a bit, maneuvering around the crutch and the bag in order to awkwardly catch it before it fell to the ground. 

“You still had pillow marks on your face,” Kieran lied as he made his way to the kitchen. _What … what would I have said to her?_

He grabbed an apple and turned back around. She had sunk to the floor, looking through the bag. “Oh, thanks,” she mumbled. 

_Okay. I need to ease her into this conversation._ “How are you holding up?” Kieran asked after she had pulled herself back to standing. 

“The stitches still sting a little, but at least it didn’t start bleeding again. And my ankle isn’t killing me anymore, so I’ll be fine.” 

Her words reached him, but Kieran’s mind was still racing, trying to figure out the best way to break the news to her. His jaw mechanically chewed the apple, and by the time he snapped back to reality, they had been staring at each other for too long to bring it up naturally now. 

A small piece of apple lodged itself in his throat, and he gave a cough, looking down. “There’s a cab waiting for you outside. I already paid the driver.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmm… thanks.” 

_Keep her talking._ “If I ever find out you’ve looked through my things while I was out … know that I might have to kill you,” he said, pointing at her. He turned around. “And go put some decent clothes on before you go to work. People might get the wrong idea about your job …” 

“ _What?!_ ” 

_Dammit, why do I always make some stupid joke at the worst time—_ Something cracked against the back of his head, knocking him forward. “Hey!” His hand flew to his skull and he turned. A jar clattered to the floor, and his bedroom door slammed shut. 

_Fuck, Kieran. Why can’t you just talk to her like a normal human being—_ He caught sight of his reflection in the window beside him. It was pale in the weak morning sunlight, but he locked eyes with his reflection. 

It wasn’t the first time the fact that those cold eyes were the last thing too many people had seen before their blood pooled on the floor entered his mind. 

And he was only going to have to paint his blade and hands with more undeserving blood that night. 

_Maybe … maybe it’s best if she doesn’t know. Knowing her, she’d show up to try to stop me, and then …_ The image of Lauren’s broken body, hair soaking to an even more vibrant red as she laid slumped on the floor, her golden eyes dulled forever, forced its way to the front of his mind. Dread coursed through him, freezing his limbs and pulling his heart into his stomach. He squeezed his eyes shut, doing his best to shake the thought from his head. 

After a few more minutes of running through the pros and cons of telling her what his orders were and the best way to break the news, she emerged from his room, crossing to the door before he could say anything. 

“Well, thank you for everything. I’ll be leaving now,” she said, the door creaking as she opened it. 

He turned, still having nothing prepared to say about the coming massacre at the Tower. He hesitated, though, when he saw the different uniform—much more formal than her other one—and the somber look on her face. “Hm? It’s not your usual uniform,” he said, not knowing what else to say to her. 

She lowered her head. “It’s Harvey’s funeral today.” A bitter edge tinged her voice, and he knew she was still thinking about what they discovered the night before. 

“Oh,” he said. “Good luck.” 

She pressed her lips together, giving him one final glance. “Thanks.” 

The door closed between them, and the chance to warn her of the storm that was approaching was swallowed in the howling gale. 

Kieran let out a breath, leaning on his counter and pushing his hands into his hair. “It’s for the best,” he whispered. “I … I can’t risk her throwing herself into a situation I can’t protect her from. I just …” He closed his eyes, trying once again to banish that image of her bloodied body from his mind. 

“I can deal with her anger afterwards.” 


	4. Boys' Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/10: Day 3 - Modern AU  
> Kieran and Will accidentally agree to a boy's night out together. Shenanigans ensue. (Fluff)

“Lauren, we never have a girls’ night out anymore. You’re always with your _boyfriend_ these days. When are you gonna ditch him so we can hang out like old times?”

Kym rested her elbow on Lauren’s shoulder as they, Kieran, and Will stood in the break room, waiting for Lukas to finish at the coffee machine.

Lauren smiled at her friend. “Whenever you want.” She glanced to Kieran, tilting her head. “Maybe Kieran and Will should have their own boys’ night out?”

Kym’s eyes lit up, and she gasped, looking between the two guys. “ _Yes! They should!_ ” she shouted, earning her a glare from Lukas, who stalked out of the break room.

Kieran let out a chuckle. “What do you think about that idea, Will?” he asked, sarcasm coloring his voice.

Will, who had been on his phone basically from the moment he had entered the office that morning, merely raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, sure, sounds good.”

The three others went quiet.

_Did he really just agree to a boys’ night out with Kieran?_ Kym thought.

_He is not paying attention to anything right now,_ Lauren thought.

Kieran blinked, hand frozen on the coffee cup he had been reaching for. _Did I … did I just accidentally suggest hanging out with Will for an evening? And he wants to?_

“Really? Okay … um, when are you free?” Kieran asked.

Surfacing from the emails his father had been sending him about his mother, emails from Hermann about what he needed to get done that day, and even more emails from the firm’s various clients about things they wanted from him and his coworkers, the conversation that had been going on around him finally finished processing in his mind.

_Wait, I just agreed to hang out with Kieran for a night. I didn’t—but I can’t take it back, that’s so rude…_

“Well, I’m free Saturday night,” Will said, anxiety pulsing through his veins.

Kieran nodded, not daring to look to Lauren for any help—not that she would’ve given him any. “Yeah, that works for me.”

Will mirrored Kieran’s nods. “Cool. I guess I’ll see you then. I, uh … I have to head to my desk.” He pocketed his phone and hurried out of the break room, disappearing around the corner.

“Yeah, I better head to my desk, too,” Kieran mumbled. Without looking at Lauren or Kym, he left, going in the opposite direction Will had.

Lauren and Kym turned to each other, jaws slack for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“That was the _best_ thing I ever had the pleasure to witness,” Kym said, doubling over, wiping tears from her eyes.

Lauren grabbed the edge of a table, coving her face with her other hand. “Holy shit. I can _not_ wait to hear how this goes.”

#

Will had to ask Lauren for Kieran’s phone number. One very awkward text exchange later, Kieran had suggested they start their boys’ night at Traveler’s, a bar in downtown Ardhalis. A friend from his previous job, Belladonna, worked as a bartender there, so she had been able to save them a spot at the packed bar even on a Saturday night. When the guys first showed up, neither knew what to do with themselves, what kinds of things they should try to talk about with the other.

But when they were about three drinks in, the chains of anxiety began to loosen, and what started as Will asking how Kieran actually got Lauren to date him somehow turned into Will telling stories about Kym’s office pranks, Kieran talking about the ridiculous things he had to do at his previous job, and Will asking where else Kieran liked to go around here. “Oh, there’s this hole-in-the-wall type place, it’s called the Goblin. But I don’t—” he laughed. “I don’t know if you would be able to handle it.”

“Excuse you? What about me makes you say that?” Will asked.

Kieran struggled to hold back another laugh. “I mean … it’s just, aren’t you, like … rich? You said you never go to the bars around here.”

Will tossed back the rest of his drink, past the point where the alcohol burned down his throat. “I’ve _been_ to bars.”

Kieran grinned. “Well. If you really want to. Boys’ night out, right?”

“Yes!” Will held his empty glass out, and Kieran tapped his to it with a clink. He downed the rest of his cocktail—he had told Bella to “Surprise me,” each time she asked what he wanted, and that final one didn’t taste like there was any liquor in it at all—and stood up. “After you, my friend,” he said, waving Will ahead of him.

They stepped out of the bar, warmed by the mass of people, talking, eating, some dancing, into the cool evening air. “Follow me, Mr. Hawkes,” Kieran said, heading in the direction of the Goblin.

Even as they walked, Kieran would notice other places he had visited and remembered had good drinks. Every now and then, they would duck in, ordering one each, and finish it as they continued to ramble on about their lives. Will told Kieran about his piano playing; Kieran demonstrated his artwork on a napkin, a small portrait of Will holding his drink.

“A gift to remember this night by,” Kieran said, his words beginning to slur, his vision to blur as he stuffed the napkin into Will’s jacket pocket.

“Thank you so much,” Will responded, leaning his temple against his glass, which only had melting ice at the bottom. “Should we keep going? Are you feeling good?”

“I’m feeling fucking fantastic,” Kieran said with a laugh. “You?”

“ _Hell_ yeah,” Will said, banging the glass onto the bar. “Let’s go to the Goblin.”

More walking on increasingly unsteady feet later, Kieran stopped Will from walking past the dark front of a building. “Here,” he said, pulling Will back toward him, leaning on his shoulder for support.

“Here? Really?”

“You’ll love it. Let’s go.”

Kieran pushed the door open, and the stench of alcohol and a wall of shouts hit them, stopping them in their tracks.

“Oh shit, we got here at the perfect time,” Kieran said, a grin spreading across his face.

“Is this a _bar fight?_ ” Will asked, staring at the sheer chaos in front of him. Patrons lunged at each other, pulled each other apart, punched, kicked, and screamed at each other. His head swam in the dim light and deafening noise.

“Wanna get in on it?” Kieran asked, shouting over the noise.

A smile started at the corners of Will’s lips, pulling his mouth into a laugh.

“It is bad that I kinda wanna say yes?”

Kieran laughed, making his way inside, ducking around patrons who, luckily, were only paying attention to whoever they happened to be pummeling. “I knew there was a madman underneath that golden-boy exterior.”

They fell into seats. Will’s attention was fully taken by the fight. _I should be more concerned about this,_ he thought, his eyes blinking.

“Dude, you’re swaying,” Kieran said, slumping onto the table, propping himself up with his fist.

“You’re … not looking sober yourself,” Will shot back.

A man fell onto the table between the two, and adrenaline shot through Will, clearing his mind for a brief second. It was in that brief moment of panic that he balled his fist and sent it straight for the man’s face.

Kieran cheered, but Will barely felt his knuckles make contact with the man’s cheek.

“Alright, Will. _This_ is a night out!” Kieran shouted.


	5. Golden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/11: Day 4 - Role Reversal  
> Officer Belladonna Davenport confronts the infamous Golden Viper assassin, Lauren Sinclair. (Drama)

“So, you’re the Golden Viper. Tell me, did you get that name from the poison you use or those pretty little eyes of yours?”

Officer Belladonna Davenport stared at the Phantom Scythe assassin down the barrel of her gun. She hadn’t changed much since Bella had seen her at the Carmine Camelia the other night, but she even if she hadn’t, she couldn’t have missed the giant golden snake hilt on the assassin’s knife – which was precariously close to her neck.

The Golden Viper was breathing heavy, strands of red hair falling in her face, back pressed against the brick wall, but her eyes still pierced Bella’s, almost as effective as the dagger would’ve been.

“If you know who I am, you know that if you make a move to shoot, you’ll be dead before your finger pulls the trigger,” Lauren Sinclair said.

Bella huffed a laugh. “Oh. I’m not going to shoot.”

Sinclair’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Because what the APD has in store for you once I arrest you will be perfectly torturous enough.”

The assassin snorted, and Bella’s back stiffened when the blade’s cool metal touched her skin. “I’m not scared of a little bit of handcuffs and tame questioning, _Officer Davenport._ ”

Bella’s grip on the gun tightened. “How do you –”

“You shouldn’t have treated Sake like that when he was in your custody. Or when you ran into him at the stalls.” Sinclair’s jaw was set, and every now and then her eyes would flick down to her knife. It was taking every ounce of willpower in Bella’s veins not to flinch away each time it brushed the sensitive skin of her neck.

They held each other at gun and knife point a moment more until Sinclair asked, “So. When are you letting me go?”

“What makes you think that’s happening?”

Sinclair smiled, and against her better instincts, that too-charming grin snaked its way into Bella’s mind and bit, sending a stream of poison through her thoughts. _If I wasn’t supposed to arrest her, maybe…_

“I know you have a vendetta against Sake,” Sinclair said. Her breath was evening out by this point, and she straightened against the wall. Bella tilted her gun to follow the assassin’s head. “I don’t blame you. He’s stupid, lazy, and won’t shut up about what we have planned, even though he doesn’t know everything. I can offer you a chance to finally get your revenge against him. Arrest him, beat him up, hell, even kill him if you want to. I don’t care. But you only get that chance if you let me go. Either that, or my knife gets much closer to your throat than it already is.”

Bella gritted her teeth. “You think I’d actually do that for a bit of revenge? I can find another time to throw him in jail where he belongs. Maybe you’ll even get to be cellmates.”

Sinclair blew some strands of hair from her face, fixing her golden eyes on Bella. “Here’s the thing. Sake told me what went down between the two of you. The interrogation, the accusations … you figuring out his involvement in Allendale and your parents’ death. Not only can I help you get revenge on him, but I can help you track down the man who was driving the car. But if I’m arrested, you’ll have a much harder time doing both of those things.”

Bella’s throat tightened. _I need the truth…_ She clenched her jaw. _I’m already working with Kieran. Forming an alliance with another Phantom Scythe assassin is only going to make this all so much more complicated._

In a flash, she jabbed her elbow into Sinclair’s arm, ducking out of range of the blade. Sinclair shouted in frustration as the knife clattered to the ground.

Both lunged for it, but Bella was able to snatch it right before Sinclair could wrap her fingers around its hilt. She threw it as hard as she could, burying it in a pile of garbage nearby. Turning on Sinclair, she swiped for her arms, but the assassin ducked out of the way, somersaulting to the end of the alley.

They stopped for a moment, looking at each other, and Bella couldn’t tell if her heart was pounding from the adrenaline or the way Sinclair was silhouetted against the city’s lamps, yellow light glowing off her hair and shoulders, catching her eyes when she turned, transforming their already stunning gold to molten fire.

Before Bella could move again, Sinclair was gone, running down the street. Bella rushed out, trying to follow, but by the time she was out of the alleyway, she had no way of telling where Sinclair had run to in the maze of alleys and turns ahead of her.

“ _Dammit,_ ” she whispered, thrusting her gun back into its holster. She let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. _What now?_

She turned her attention back to the garbage pile she had thrown the knife into. Biting back the bile rising in her throat, she went to it, nudging discarded clothes, objects, and things too dirty to tell what they used to be aside with the tip of her boot until a golden glimmer caught her eye.

She picked up the knife and held it in her hand, examining its intricate hilt, letting it settle into the palm of her hand. She wrapped her fingers around it, testing its balance, imagining Sinclair’s hand holding it just like this as well.

_I better take this. She’ll probably try to come back for it._ Bella took a handkerchief from her pocket, wrapping it tight around the blade to protect her from its poison. A thought crossed her mind – what would Sinclair do if she came back to find it missing? Would she come looking for it, correctly assuming Bella was the one to take it?

The thought of seeing those stunning golden eyes again brought a smile to Bella’s lips before she could stop herself.

_I guess I wouldn’t mind another meeting with the Golden Viper too much._


	6. The Show Must Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/12: Day 5 - Theories  
> Teenage Kieran White wants to find out just how the Circus Royal, of which he is a performer in, is connected to the Phantom Scythe. (Drama)

Kieran crouched in the dark, eyes fixed on his goal, not allowing the crowd echoing behind him to be a distraction. Glancing around to make sure no one else was close by, he slunk forward, sticking to the shadows, making his way to the—

“Another break in attempt?” a voice behind his ear whispered.

Kieran’s heart leapt to his throat, and he spun around, knife stopping just short of his intruder’s throat. “ _Fuck! J—_ ”

A finger pressed to his lips “Ah ah ah. Stage name only, please.”

Kieran scowled. “ _Zephyr._ ” He thrust his knife back into his wrist sheath, glaring at the young aerialist, swinging by his legs on a rung of the metal scaffolding Kieran was sneaking under. “I thought you were performing now.”

Zephyr smirked. “So you decided to sneak into Zeus’s caravan at this moment so I couldn’t stop you again?”

“Maybe,” Kieran grumbled.

Zephyr grabbed another rung, swinging to the ground, landing directly in front of Kieran. “You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he said, winking.

Kieran’s face flushed, and he turned away from his friend, fixing his eyes on the caravan again. “What do you have against me breaking in there, anyway? I’m not gonna take anything. I’m just looking for something.”

“Something you still have yet to tell me about.” Zephyr leaned on Kieran’s shoulder, the wisps of hair that escaped his braid during his performance tickling Kieran’s neck and face. “If you told me what you’re looking for, maybe that’ll be enough to convince me to help you.”

“I don’t need your help. And I can make _sure_ you’re not able to follow me,” Kieran said, his voice low.

Zephyr laughed. “You know, with all those beautiful pictures you draw and that sweet face of yours, sometimes I forget why your stage name is Ares. Then comments like that make me remember.”

Kieran’s heart pounded, but he did his best to put the “sweet face” comment from his mind. “Zephyr, please. I need to do this,” he said.

The laughter disappeared from Zephyr’s face, and he stared at Kieran before sighing. “I’m just trying to keep you from Zeus’s wrath.”

“I’ll only spark that wrath if you don’t let me go _now,_ while the show is still going.”

Zephyr fell quiet, and the twisting, dancing melody of a piano drifted through the air. “New guy’s on now. He’s one of the last,” Zephyr said.

“Yeah, I know. So stop interfering and let me _go._ ” Kieran pushed Zephyr’s arm off of his shoulder, tearing across the moonlit grass to the ringmaster’s caravan. He jumped up the stairs, pulling two pins from his hair to pick the lock. Once inside, he locked the door behind him again and surveyed Zeus’s living/working space.

The mess of papers on one half and countless clothes and props hanging and strewn around the other half sent a spike of anxiety through Kieran. _Dammit, Zephyr. If you hadn’t distracted me, I could’ve been working through this much sooner._

He went to the desk, pulling out the drawers and feeling around for any hidden sections in them. _He wouldn’t leave information like that out in the open, even if he locks this whenever he leaves._

When the desk proved fruitless, he turned to a cabinet nearby, shifting through the papers inside, looking for that unmistakable Phantom Scythe logo.

“ _Areeeees,_ ” Zephyr whispered through the door. “You better not be doing anything stupid. Wait, too late for that.”

Kieran rolled his eyes and kept looking, crouching beneath chairs and tables in case anything was taped under them. He moved to the other side of the caravan, looking in crates and chests of props and accessories, even in the pockets of some jackets.

“Remember what he did to Prometheus when he found out he was taking some of the ticket money for himself? That’s nothing compared to you snooping through his stuff.” Zephyr quieted for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was small, pleading. “Please, Kieran. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Kieran stopped, turning to the door, hands tightening on the boot he had been looking inside. He stepped toward the door, but froze when he heard Zephyr give a small scream.

_Shit. Shitshitshit._ His eyes darted around, and he dove for a rack of coats and capes along the wall, cloaking himself in them as the lock turned and his heart hammered. Two footsteps stamped against the floor, and he held his breath.

“Ares. I know you’re in here. Come out.”

Kieran poked his head out of the coats to see Zeus’s daughter standing in the caravan. “Hi Athena,” he said, his voice quiet.

She raised an eyebrow at him, arms crossed. “What are you doing in here?”

He shook his head. “Just, uh … checking up on things,” he said, mouth dry.

Athena sighed. “If you tell me, I promise I won’t tell my father. No matter how sketchy you’re being.” She indicated toward the door with her head. “I scared Zephyr off, so you don’t have to worry about eavesdroppers.”

_Wow. How loyal of you, Zeph._ “I was looking for your dad’s notes on our acts. I want to know how to improve, and if I want to amaze tomorrow’s audience even more, I want to get started practicing.”

Athena smiled, tilting her head. “Okay. You don’t want to tell me. I’m sure my father would be _very_ happy to find a replacement for you. Knife throwers and swordsmen are a dime a dozen.”

Kieran’s chest tightened. _No. I need to stay with them._ He clenched his jaw, sighing. “Fine.” He stared at her, unblinking. “I was looking for information on the Phantom Scythe.”

Athena’s eyes darkened, and she walked closer. In her heels, she had a couple inches on him, and she glowered down at him. “And _why_ were you looking for that information?”

“Because I want to join,” he blurted—the first excuse that came to him. “Officially. Not just … not just as a sideshow prop.”

Athena blinked before stepping back. A smile spread across her face. “You know what?” She nodded. “We just might be able to arrange that.” She walked back to the door, opening it for him. “Alright, get outta here. I’ll let my father know, and we’ll let you know when we hear back from the higher ups.”

Kieran exited the caravan, mind reeling. _What the_ fuck _did I just do._

“So. You’re gonna be one of the big boys now, huh.”

Hand flying to his heart, spinning around, Kieran stifled a shout. “Zephyr! You have to stop doing that!” he whispered, staring at his friend on top of the caravan.

Zephyr lowered himself to the ground, eyebrows raised and lips pursed. “Honestly, I was not expecting that. But I’m proud of you. You’ll be a great asset to the Phantom Scythe. Who knows, maybe you’ll even work your way up the ranks. Become buddies with the leader and everything.”

Kieran kept his face impassive. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.”

_Getting close to the leader…_ he thought. _If I can do that…_ Those screams that always echoed through his mind crescendoed and were drowned out by the memory of that singular word—“RUN!”—tearing from his throat.

_If I can do that, I can finally make him pay for what he’s done to me._


	7. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11/14: Day 7 - Pick Your Own (& Why You Came, Why You Stayed - see how I found PH and why I've stuck around in the caption for this post on my IG)  
> Kym Ladell's been crushing on her best friend, Lauren Sinclair, for years, but tensions have been rising, especially since she's been tasked with finding Lune. (Angst)

The window still stood open, the cool night breeze fluttering the curtains and making Kym shiver as she stared at Lauren, who stood hunched over her desk, eyes squeezed shut. “Kym. You have no idea how much stress I’ve been under for the past few months.”

Kym’s heart ached as she looked at her friend, the lamplight throwing her face into shadow. “You can tell me,” she said, stepping closer. “You know I—” she reached out, but stopped herself from taking Lauren’s hand, no matter how much she wanted to. “I’m always here for you.”

A humorless laugh escaped Lauren’s lips as she squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t—I can’t let myself believe that. I’m sorry.”

A sob tumbled from Kym’s mouth, tears prickling her eyes. “Lauren! What the hell? What’s _happened?_ You’re my…” she swallowed, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand. “You’re my best friend, and I feel like I’ve barely known you for the past few months. You’re coming into work exhausted, you’re leaving early because you ‘don’t feel well,’ you’ve been _dating someone,_ ” Kym said, pushing more venom into those final words than she meant to. She stopped, taking a breath, before saying in a small voice, “I just want my friend back.”

“I—” Lauren faltered, finally turning her gaze to Kym. “I haven’t gone anywhere.” 

Kym crossed her arms. “Yes, you have. Did you not hear anything I just said?” She closed the distance between them, staring into Lauren’s face, her heart pounding. _This is dangerous. She’s with Kieran._ “Please, Lauren. You know how much I care about you. Let me share whatever this burden is with you.” 

Lauren looked away. “It’d be too much for you to carry,” she whispered. 

“Well, it’s _crushing_ you. And that’s crushing me." 

Another head shake, another turning away. 

Kym clenched her teeth. “Dammit, Lauren! I just want to help you. I know about Dylan, I know about your parents, I know about Sake … I already know all this stuff that’s weighing you down. What’s so bad that you can’t tell me?” 

Lauren opened her mouth and closed it again. 

“Does Kieran know whatever this is?” 

The wide eyes and the moment of hesitation before Lauren shook her head showed Kym the truth, sending a lightning bolt of envy through her heart that resonated through her veins. “What’s so different between telling your boyfriend and telling me? I don’t—" 

“Kieran is _not_ my boyfriend!” Lauren snapped. 

The two froze, staring at each other. Disbelief prevented Kym from any kind of euphoria she thought she should be feeling at this news. 

“We… we made that up. We’re not together. We never have been,” Lauren said, her voice quiet. 

Kym blinked. “Why?” 

Lauren stared at Kym, her gold eyes shining with tears that threatened to spill over. “I think… I think you know why.” 

The silver moonlight shone on Lauren’s hair, her face, her trembling hands. Kym was painfully aware of how close the two were still standing, their eyes locked on one another, and that lightning fizzled into sparks, crackling all over Kym’s body. 

She stretched up, on tip toes, and when Lauren didn’t pull away, Kym took her chin in her hand and guided her lips to her own. 

It was the whisper of a kiss, barely there, until Kym tilted her head and Lauren placed her hands on Kym’s face, holding her in place and pressing closer. Kym’s heart hammered in her chest, and her hands shook as she pushed her fingers into Lauren’s hair, loosening her bun, her chest tightening as she held her breath, worried if she breathed, this moment would end. 

But that didn’t matter—Lauren pulled back anyway, squeezing her eyes shut, sighing as tears formed on her eyelashes. 

Panic stabbed Kym’s mind, and she staggered backward, covering her mouth. “Fuck,” she said. “Fuck, that’s not what you meant, was it, I—” 

“No,” Lauren said, her voice breaking. “No, you have no idea how much I want to kiss you, Kym. But that’s not what I… that’s not what I meant.” She stared at Kym, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. 

“What do you think I know?” Kym asked, her palms up and outstretched. 

Lauren closed her eyes again, and another gust of wind blew across the room, rustling the papers on her desk. A stripe of moonlight painted Lauren’s face, and Kym finally allowed herself to voice what her deepest fear had been over the past couple months. 

“You’re Lune, aren’t you.” 

Lauren’s stillness was answer enough. Kym pressed her hands to her face, a sigh growing into a groan as she tried to keep her tears from spilling over. “ _Shit,_ ” she whispered. 

“I know you and Will are looking for us—” 

“Us? Who—” a spark of realization forced itself into Kym’s scattered mind. “Kieran. That’s why you’ve been so close to him.” 

Lauren dropped to the floor, pressing her back against the desk, burying her face in her arms, propped on her knees. A moment passed, but Kym still went to crouch in front of her. She reached out, barely resting her fingertips on Lauren’s hand. Lauren looked up, and Kym froze for a moment before taking a deep breath. 

“Lauren. I don’t want to turn you in. I will do _anything_ to make sure you’re not the one punished for this. I promise you.” 

Lauren sniffled. “Promise?” she whispered. 

Kym swallowed a sob, but she nodded, placing her hand on her heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die… you’re giving me anxiety, but I’ll comply,” she said, her voice soft. 

The two stared at each other for another moment before Lauren laced her fingers into Kym’s, tugging her forward. Kym fell, unbalanced on her toes as she crouched, and she caught herself on Lauren’s desk, hand planted right by her head. Before she had time to collect herself, Lauren was pulling Kym’s lips to hers once again, and they crashed into one another, electricity crackling through Kym’s veins as Lauren held onto her, kissed her, just as she had wished she would do ever since she met her. 

_I can worry about Lune tomorrow,_ Kym thought. 

For the night, Lauren was Lauren, the same woman she had been falling for for two years. 

The woman who she was going to let her life fall to pieces for. 


End file.
